Economy & labor
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BLS Employment Situation (Jan. 2026): Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 130,000 in January 2026; the unemployment rate was 4.3% (seasonally adjusted). Private-sector payrolls increased by 172,000 while government payrolls fell by 42,000. Job gains were concentrated in health care (+82,000), social assistance (+42,000) and construction (+33,000), including a 25,000 monthly increase in nonresidential specialty trade contractors. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 0.4% in January to $37.17; average weekly private-sector earnings rose 0.7% for the month. (BLS news release, Feb. 11, 2026)
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Administration response: The White House published a summary placing the January results in presidential-term context, highlighting private‑sector gains, specialty trade construction jobs tied to new industrial groundbreakings, and claiming cumulative wage gains during the President’s second term. The Department of Labor released a Secretary statement noting the 172,000 private‑sector jobs and citing a 25,000 specialty-trades uptick; both the White House and DOL attributed construction gains to new factory and data-center investment. (White House; DOL, Feb. 11, 2026)
Notes and sourcing: The BLS release is the primary source for the labor-market statistics above. Administration statements summarize and interpret those data for policy context.
Administration policy and domestic agenda
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Clean coal / energy and defense directive: The White House published an executive action directing the Department of War to seek long‑term power purchase agreements with coal‑fired generation to supply Department of War installations and mission‑critical facilities, and a fact sheet described the action as intended to preserve baseload capacity and support national defense. The Administration said the move has halted planned retirements of roughly 17 GW of coal generation and spurred new investment and construction. (White House presidential action and fact sheet, Feb. 11, 2026)
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Make America Beautiful Again (MABA) commission: The Department of the Interior launched the MABA 250 strategic initiative, chaired by Secretary Doug Burgum, to promote conservation, expand outdoor recreation access, and streamline permitting. Interior said it had refocused approximately $8 million in grant programming to support big‑game winter ranges and migration corridors. The commission said a formal accomplishments report will be released with the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. (DOI press release, Feb. 11, 2026)
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Presidential nominations and other actions: The White House posted a list of nominations transmitted to the Senate and published related briefings, remarks and outreach items on Feb. 11. (White House presidential actions, Feb. 11, 2026)
Law enforcement, public safety, and homeland security
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Oregon arrest in alleged plot against ICE: DHS announced an investigation and public statement after local police arrested a Washington‑state resident, Rayden Colemen, following a Feb. 4 traffic stop that found materials to manufacture Molotov cocktails and knives. DHS said the suspect admitted an AR‑15 was due to be delivered on Feb. 5 and that he would have carried out his threats; he was charged in state court with manufacturing destructive devices and conspiracy to commit assault. DHS framed the case as part of a larger rise in threats against ICE personnel and cited substantial percentage increases in assaults and death threats reported by the agency. (DHS press release, Feb. 11, 2026)
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DHS enforcement and custody outcomes: DHS also posted releases describing recent ICE arrests of noncitizens with serious criminal convictions and a separate notice regarding a Middle District of Louisiana decision to release four noncitizens from ICE custody; DHS said it will continue removal proceedings where applicable. (DHS news items, Feb. 11, 2026)
Consumer protection & regulatory actions
- FTC distribution to purchasers of Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical products: The Federal Trade Commission announced it is sending settlement checks to eligible consumers who bought certain products marketed by Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc. between July 2017 and July 2020; consumers who have not yet submitted claims were given an online claims deadline (May 12, 2026, per the notice). (FTC notice, Feb. 11, 2026)
Defense & military-related activity
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Department of War contract notices and unmanned vessel launch
- The Department of War posted its regular contracts listing for Feb. 11, 2026, noting contracts with values of $7.5 million or more are live on War.gov. (war.gov contracts listing, Feb. 11, 2026)
- The Joint Force marked the first launch of the Lightfish unmanned vessel, a Navy/Marine test milestone the Department described as part of force modernization and unmanned systems development. (war.gov news, Feb. 11, 2026)
- Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby traveled to Belgium and Germany on official business; the advisory noted engagements with U.S. allies. (war.gov advisory, Feb. 11, 2026)
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First‑term and event highlights: The Administration posted coverage of the President’s participation in a “Champion of Coal” event and other outreach tied to energy and industrial policy. (White House media, Feb. 11, 2026)
White House communications & outreach
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Crime trends: The White House circulated an "ICYMI" item asserting that violent crime fell sharply across the nation's largest cities in 2025, citing declines in murders, robberies and aggravated assaults and describing a large federal resource surge to support hard‑hit cities. The item presented administration interpretation of recent city‑level data; readers should compare with municipal and FBI statistics for independent verification. (White House article, Feb. 11, 2026)
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First Lady outreach: The White House posted a briefing‑statement about First Lady Melania Trump visiting children with rare and serious diseases at The Children’s Inn at NIH for Valentine’s Day. (White House, Feb. 11, 2026)
What to watch next
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BLS scheduled the Employment Situation for February 2026 to be released March 6, 2026. BLS also noted this release incorporated annual benchmark revisions and changes to the birth‑death model, and that January household estimates may be revised when population controls are updated.
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The MABA commission said it will publish an accomplishments report timed with the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening (America 250 events).
Sources and documents cited in this roundup are official agency releases and administration posts. Individual items above are attributed to the issuing agency; where an administration or agency provided interpretation of statistical data, the original BLS release remains the underlying source for the labor statistics.